Distributed sensing allows sensing across large areas such as agricultural fields, manufacturing floors, etc. However, the costs to distribute the numbers of sensors needed to cover these areas may prevent their distribution. In addition, the number of sensors in the large area require some affordable and reliable way to gather their data.
Several different applications may benefit from affordable large area sensors with an associated affordable detection of the sensors' data. One such application consists of plasticulture, the practice of using plastic materials in agricultural applications. The uses in plasticulture include soil fumigation film, irrigation drip tape/tubing, nursery pots and silage bags, plastic greenhouses, etc. Other applications include sensing the state of curing in structural materials like resin and concrete.